Surf-rider transporter



1967 c STECKER 3,338,180

SURF-R IDER TRANSPORTER Filed April 6, 1965 w I INVENTOR.

H EFEEEFW C STECKER ATTOQNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,338,180 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,180 SURF-RIDER TRANSPORTER Herbert C. Stecker, 1 Bridal Ave.,

Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. 07423 Filed Apr. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 446,022 2 Claims. (Cl. 104-173) This invention relates to a transporter for surf-riders. More specifically, it deals with a transporting system for pulling surf-riders and their surf boards into the surfsource waters, at which point they may mount their surfboards and be floated back to the shore by the surf.

Surf-riding is a sport which can be enjoyed by almost all bathers. Unfortunately, only a very few are able to participate in this sport due to the considerable effort required to paddle out with the surf board to the wave source. This distance may amount to a quarter of a mile or more, and only those swimmers of exceptional stamina are able to make more than one or two such trips.

According to the present invention, it is now possible for practically all swimmers to enjoy surf-riding without the strenuous exertion required for the trip back. In the present invention, a continuous floating line is propelled by a motor moored on the beach above the high tide mark, the other end of said line being mounted on a pully moored in the surf source area. Surf-riders desiring to return to the surf source area can merely grasp the floating line and be transported to the desired area.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment is described, and in which FIGURE 1 depicts a side view (with the center portion cut away) of a preferred transporting means of the present invention. An enlarged front view of a line mooring and pulley means (with bottom portions and a middle portion of one of the mooring elements cut off) is illustrated in FIGURE 2, while FIGURE 3 shows a side view, with case partly broken away, of an enlarged pulley means mountable on a line mooring. The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawing, numeral 4 designates, generally, a beach, while numeral 5 designates the water surface at the shore. The ocean bottom is referred to by the numeral 6. Mounted on the shore or beach, above the high tide mark, is a motor 7. The latter may be anchored to a heavy :base or foundation 8, or otherwise suitably moored. The motor is designed to drive a drum or pully 9 over which several turns of line are disposed. This endless line 10, thus may be propelled over and over the drum 9, as it is rotated by the motor.

Disposed in the surf-source area is a mooring, designated generally by numeral 11. This may be of a permanent type, such as a piling or a concrete pier, or it may be of the temporary type, such as an anchored floating buoy, or one such as that shown. In this case, the mooring consists of a heavy weight 12, to which is attached a vertical metal cylinder 13. A rod 14 is designed to telescope within cylinder 13, and may be fixed in position therein by suitable means, such as a pin 15 which fits in holes 16. The top portion of rod 14 has hingeably attached thereto, two thrust arms 17 and 18, the ends 17' and 18', respectively, of which may become imbedded in the ocean bottom.

Sleeve 19 is mounted in swiveling relation between pins 20' and 21 on rod 14. Affixed at its side to sleeve 19, is pully case or housing 22, which encloses pulley 23. Case 22 has an extended entry chamber 24 into which enter pulled portion 10 and towing portion 10" of line 10. It will be noted that entry chamber 24 prevents catching of a persons hand in pulley 23, which latter rotates on axle 25. Pulley case 22 is desirably positioned above the Water surface 5.

Line 10 is made of a material which When slack, as shown in FIG. 1, will float on water, such as a rope of polyethylene or polypropylene, or a hollow tube of vinyl chloride polymer, or a cord of foamed polyurethane, suitably reinforced with hemp, twine, or the like. It is also desirable to incorporate into the line a fluorescent dye or pigment, so that the line will be visible at a distance.

Furthermore, motor 7 may be completely enclosed, with the surfside wall 26 being provided with openings 27 and 28, through which the line may enter and leave, without danger of involvement by bathers. The line speed may be quite slow.

I claim:

1. A surf-rider transporter, comprising:

a motor mountable on a beach,

a drum-like drive connected to the motor and designed to propel a line,

a mooring positioned in a surf source water area,

a pully mounted on said mooring, and

an endless line designed to float on water when slack,

one loop end of the line having a plurality of turns thereof disposed about the drum-like motor drive for propulsion thereby, the other loop end of the line :being mounted around said pulley in a manner such that the portion of the line moving outwardly from the beach normally lies substantially slack on the surface of the water whereby, when a surfrider grasps the outboard floating line, a towing load imposed on the line tightens the multiple turns on the motor drive drum, whereby said line is enabled to transport said surf-rider to the surf source area.

2. A surf-rider transporter according to claim 1 in which the pulley is mounted within a housing having an extended entry for ingress and egress of the line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,231,843 7/ 1917 Brady 165-389 1,670,930 5/ 1928 Chiarello 389 2,608,935 9/1952 Moore 104173 2,646,005 7/ 1953 Swenson 104-173 2,862,282 12/ 1958 Beebe 43-4498 3,043,045 7/1962 Martuch 4344.98

3,052,470 9/ 1962 Pomagalski 104-173 X 3,166,021 1/1965 Shippers 104-473 3,175,517 3/ 1965 Wiedermann 104173 3,190,646 6/1965 Forsman 104173 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

-D. F. WORTH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SURF-RIDER TRANSPORTER, COMPRISING: A MOTOR MOUNTABLE ON A BEACH, A DRUM-LIKE DRIVE CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR AND DESIGNED TO PROPEL A LINE, A MOORING POSITIONED IN A SURF SOURCE WATER AREA, A PULLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOORING, AND AN ENDLESS LINE DESIGNED TO FLOAT ON WATER WHEN SLACK, ONE LOOP END OF THE LINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF TURNS THEREOF DISPOSED ABOUT THE DRUM-LIKE MOTOR DRIVE FOR PROPULSION THEREBY, THE OTHER LOOP END OF THE LINE BEING MOUNTED AROUND SAID PULLEY IN A MANNER SUCH THAT THE PORTION OF THE LINE MOVING OUTWARDLY FROM THE BEACH NORMALLY LIES SUBSTANTIALLY SLACK ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER WHEREBY, WHEN A SURFRIDER GRASPS THE OUTBOARD FLOATING LINE, A TOWING LOAD IMPOSED ON THE OUTBOARD FLOATING LINE, A TOWING LOAD THE MOTOR DRIVE DRUM, WHEREBY SAID LINE IS ENABLED TO TRANSPORT SAID SURF-RIDER TO THE SURF SOURCE AREA. 